FAQ
Visas & Passports
When applying for a Schengen Visa in order to travel to one or more of the Schengen Zone countries there are some requirements one has to establish prior to the application. If you are planning to travel to more than one Schengen country its best if you apply in the Embassy/ Consulate of the country you will be staying at the most, regarding the residing days. Once you are issued a multiple entry visa you are able to travel to all of the Schengen Zone countries for the time permitted on the visa. Visa & Passports
What to bring/wear during our Cycle Classic Tour?
First of all of course you’ll need a good quality Helmet
For Clothing we recommend this;
- Cycling Jersey ( 2 – 3)
- Cycling Jersey long sleeve (2)
- Cycling shorts (2)
- Cycling Long –Tights (1 – 2)
- Cycling Gloves ( 1) Fall/Winter
- Thermal shirts long sleeve (2)
- Thermal shirts short sleeve ( 2)
- Cycling socks ( 4 – 5 pair )
- Gore-Tex waterproof jacket
- Windproof Jacket
- Lightweight rain Jacket
- Cycling sun glasses
- Cycling Shoes
- Cap/Balaclava/Warm hat
Cycling in the mountains?
In the high cols your average speed will be much lower than on the flat. The time gained during the descents will not compensate for the time ‘lost’ going uphill. Mountains can be very long so the most important rule is to start gently. Try to find your own speed and balance. This is the perfect mood to relax and enjoy the fantastic landscape!
Weather in the mountains
Be aware that conditions can change rapidly in the mountains. It can be very cold, expect a 1C/33F decrease in temperature for every 100 meter rise in elevation.
What must be my fitness level?
For our self guided tours in Italy, France and Spain you don’t need to be a professional cyclist. Mostly the rides are on flatter terrain sometimes you have short steep climbs. If you do regularly exercises you would be able to follow the tracks, these rides present a moderate challenge to someone of average fitness. The tracks in the hilly Lake District in North Italy, Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily are for fit riders who like some challenges. These Tours include some long daily distances and some though climbs. The rides in the Alps are for for well-trained riders who can do more than five or six hours of riding in the mountains. It involves long daily distances with many challenging climbs. These tours are advisable for someone with a high fitness level.
Do I need to bring my own bike?
It isn’t easy to travel with a bike box on trains and planes. First of all air companies will charge you way too much. Secondly, a common occurrence is that bicycles may get damaged on or during the journey. You are on holidays and to have to worry about your bike, it’s not worth it and therefore it’s not worth bringing your own bike. So what now? You may ask…..Just Relax! Let Cycle Classic Tours arrange your bike as we are glad to provide you with one of our Trek racing bikes. It avoids stressful situations and a lot of hassle during your holiday trip. Even though it’s always possible to bring you bike but be aware that you are responsible for your own bike.
Travel insurance?
Cycleclassictours recommends you to arrange a good personal insurance before leaving your country. We are not responsible for theft or loss of personal properties.
What kind of weather we can expect?
During the spring classics in Belgium, Holland and North France the weather can be unpredictable. Belgium weather is maritime and usually mild. Flanders is on the same level as southern England, so the climate is comparable. In fact the month with the driest weather is March with 52 mm (2.0 in) of rain but always being prepared for rainfall!
Spring Classics March and April
| Weather in Belgium/Holland/North France | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| March | 2C/37F | 10C/50F | 6C/43F | 52 mm | 11 | 3.8 |
| April | 4C/39F | 13C/57F | 9C/48F | 54 mm | 12 | 5.3 |
Italian Lake district.
The climate is Mediterranean which means the summers are long and winters are short and mild. Summer conditions begin around May when the average daily highrises to about 20°C. Once you move into June the highs reach 24°C, before peaking at 26°C in the hottest month of July.
Cycle Classic Tours Trips : Lake Como – Lake District – Lakes of Lombardy
| Lake District | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 08C/46F | 15C/59F | 12C/53F | 110mm | 14 | 10 |
| May | 12C/54F | 20C/68F | 16C/51F | 128mm | 16 | 11 |
| June | 15C/59F | 24C/75F | 20C/67F | 134mm | 14 | 11 |
| July | 18C/64F | 26C/79F | 22C/72F | 98mm | 12 | 12 |
| August | 18C/64F | 26C/79F | 22C/72F | 97mm | 13 | 11 |
| September | 14C/57F | 22C/72F | 18C/65F | 105mm | 10 | 9 |
Italian Alps and Dolomites based on Bolzano
The region has a humid continental climate with warm summers and no dry season. The alpine valleys between 900 and 1400 metres, with a typically Humid continental climate , covering the largest part of the province. Summers are mild/warm with averages between 14 and 19°C. It is a very snowy climate; snow may occur from early October to April or even May.
Cycle Classic Tours Trips: Dolomites self-guided – Dolomites guided – 5 star Italian Alps
| Itaian Alps & Dolomites | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 09C/48F | 18C/64F | 14C/57F | 53mm | 7 | 6 |
| May | 14C/57F | 23C/73F | 19C/66F | 82mm | 8 | 7 |
| June | 19C/66F | 27C/81F | 23C/73F | 80mm | 10 | 7 |
| July | 20C/68F | 29C/84F | 25C/77F | 92mm | 9 | 8 |
| August | 20C/68F | 28C/82F | 24C/75F | 91mm | 9 | 7 |
| September | 15C/59F | 24C/75F | 20C/68F | 68mm | 6 | 6 |
Sicily
Mediterranean which means the summers are long and winters are short and mild. Summer conditions begin around May when the average daily highrises to about 20°C. Once you move into June the highs reach 26/27°C, before peaking at 30/31°C in the hottest months July & August.
Cycle Classic Tours trips : Best of Sicily road bike – Cycle Sicily-Mount Etna – Classic Sicily – Mount Etna -Ionic See
| Sicily | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 8C/46F | 17C/62F | 12C/53F | 35mm | 4 | 10 |
| May | 12C/53F | 22C/71F | 16C/60F | 14mm | 3 | 12 |
| June | 16C/60F | 26C/78F | 20C/67F | 10mm | 1 | 13 |
| July | 19C/67F | 29C/84F | 22C/72F | 10mm | 1 | 14 |
| August | 19C/67F | 30C/86F | 22C/72F | 17mm | 2 | 13 |
| September | 17C/62F | 26C/78F | 21C/69F | 28mm | 3 | 11 |
| October | 13/55F | 22/72F | 17C/63F | 48mm | 7 | 9 |
Sardinia
Sardinia boasts a beautifully warm Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and coastal temperatures averaging 28.5 degrees (83F) in July and August. The island is renowned for its six month summer which means that the sea can be warm enough for swimming from May until October.
Cycle Classic Tours trips : Trans Sardinia road bike – North Sardinia – Sardinia road bike – South Sardinia
| Sardinia | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 09C/48F | 18C/64F | 14C/57F | 42mm | 5 | 7 |
| May | 12C/54F | 22C/73F | 17C/63F | 20mm | 3 | 9 |
| June | 16C/61F | 26C/79F | 21C/70F | 12mm | 2 | 10 |
| July | 19C/66F | 29C/84F | 24C/75F | 10mm | 2 | 12 |
| August | 19C/66F | 30C/86F | 25C/76F | 18mm | 2 | 10 |
| September | 17C/63F | 26C/79F | 22C/71F | 40mm | 5 | 8 |
Corsica
Corsica has a beautifully warm Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and coastal temperatures averaging 28.5 degrees (83F) in July and August. The island is renowned for its six month summer which means that the sea can be warm enough for swimming from May until October.
Cycle Classic Tours trips : North Corsica – South Corscia – Guided Road Bike Corsica
| Corsica | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 8C/46F | 17C/62F | 12C/53F | 35mm | 4 | 10 |
| May | 12C/53F | 22C/71F | 16C/60F | 14mm | 3 | 12 |
| June | 16C/60F | 26C/78F | 20C/67F | 10mm | 1 | 13 |
| July | 19C/67F | 29C/84F | 22C/72F | 10mm | 1 | 14 |
| August | 19C/67F | 30C/86F | 22C/72F | 17mm | 2 | 13 |
| September | 17C/62F | 26C/78F | 21C/69F | 28mm | 3 | 11 |
| October | 13/55F | 22/72F | 17C/63F | 48mm | 7 | 9 |
Tuscany & Umbria
The climate in Tuscany & Umbria is very mild. The coast and valleys tend to have hotter summers than the hills or mountains although the coast benefits from breezes off the sea for cooler temperatures. April and May as well as September and October are good months to visit Tuscany: sunny days, with some rainy days as well. July and August can be hot.
Cycle Classic Tours trips : Classis Tuscany – Lucca to Florence – Lucca to Pisa – Tuscany & Umbria road bike – Umbria road bike trip
| Tuscany & Umbria | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 10C/50F | 15C/59F | 13C/55F | 74mm | 7 | 7 |
| May | 14C/57F | 19C/66F | 17C/63F | 62mm | 5 | 8 |
| June | 18C/64F | 24C/75F | 21C/70F | 49mm | 3 | 9 |
| July | 20C/68F | 27C/81F | 24C/75F | 23mm | 2 | 10 |
| August | 21C/70F | 27C/81F | 24C/75F | 38mm | 3 | 9 |
| September | 17C/63F | 23C/73F | 20C/68F | 54mm | 5 | 8 |
| October | 14C/57F | 19C/66F | 17C/63F | 96mm | 9 | 7 |
Puglia
The spring comes early and is generally warm and sunny, with temperatures rising up to 20C by the end of April. The summer is long, hot and dry and lasts from the end May through to the end of September. Temperatures typically rise to around the 30°C mark in July and August, with the occasional hotter week here and there. Autumn remains generally warm with temperatures only really dropping out of the 20s towards the beginning of December.
Cycle Classic Tours trips ; South Italy self-guided – Puglia and Basilicata
| Puglia | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| April | 09C/48F | 18C/64F | 14C/57F | 47mm | 5 | 8 |
| May | 13C/55F | 22C72F | 18C/64F | 37mm | 4 | 9 |
| June | 17C/63F | 26C/79F | 22C/72F | 32mm | 3 | 9 |
| July | 19C/66F | 28C/82F | 24C/75F | 27mm | 2 | 10 |
| August | 19C/66F | 28C/82F | 24C/75F | 39mm | 4 | 10 |
| September | 16C/62F | 25C/77F | 21C/70F | 62mm | 5 | 9 |
| October | 13C/55F | 21C/70F | 17C/63F | 65mm | 6 | 8 |
French Alps
Late summer early autumn is the best season to explore the Alp regions. End of August and beginning of September are the perfect months for exploring this beautiful region. In the summer time the Alps high cols can be very busy and also we want to avoid the extreme temperatures. Therefore we offer our trips in August and September. Also the temperatures are not that high anymore. Be aware that conditions can change rapidly in the mountains. It can be very cold, expect a 1C/33F decrease in temperature for every 100 meter rise in elevation.
| weather in Annecy | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| August | 15C/59F | 26C/79F | 21C/70F | 62mm | 10 | 7 |
| September | 11C/52F | 23C/74F | 17C/63F | 42mm | 10 | 6 |
| weather in Grenoble | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| August | 13C/55F | 26C/79F | 19C/67F | 3.7mm | 11 | 8.4 |
| September | 11C/52F | 22C/72F | 17C/63F | 3.9mm | 11 | 6.6 |
South France
The best months to cycle in the South of France are May, September and October. Traffic would be considerably less outside the peak period and still there are many hours of sunshine.
| weather in Nice – Provence | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| May | 13C/55F | 20C/68F | 17C/62F | 68mm | 8 | 8,8 |
| September | 16C/61F | 25C/77F | 21C/70F | 77mm | 7 | 8,8 |
| October | 12C/54F | 21C/70F | 17C/63F | 124mm | 9 | 6,5 |
Costa Brava – Costa Daurada – Catalonia
The climate of Costa Brava is typically Mediterranean, mild and temperate, characterised by hot, dry summers and moderately cold winters. The annual average temperature ranges from 7 to 28 °C, while the highest temperatures are recorded in the months of July and August. The Costa Brava, is characterized by warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters. Because the region is beside the Mediterranean sea, temperatures are generally moderate with a comparatively small range of temperatures between the winter low and summer high.
Cycle Classic Tours Trips: Barcelona to Girona – Cycle the Costa Brava – Catalonia on road bike – Costa Daurada road bike
| Costa Brava – Catalonia- Costa Daurada | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| January | 02C/35F | 14C/57F | 08C/46F | 56mm | 6 | 7 |
| February | 02C/35F | 15C/59F | 09C/48F | 38mm | 4 | 8 |
| March | 04C/40F | 18C/64F | 11C/52F | 45mm | 4 | 9 |
| April | 06C/43C | 19C/66F | 13C/55F | 63mm | 6 | 10 |
| May | 10C/51F | 23C/74F | 17C/63F | 68mm | 7 | 11 |
| June | 14C/58F | 27C/81F | 21C/70F | 62mm | 6 | 12 |
| July | 17C/62F | 30C/87F | 24C/75F | 27mm | 2 | 12 |
| August | 17C/62F | 28C/83F | 23C/73F | 21mm | 2 | 12 |
| September | 15C/58F | 26C/78F | 21C/68F | 39mm | 3 | 10 |
| October | 11C/51F | 22C/72F | 17C/62F | 82mm | 8 | 8 |
| November | 06C/42F | 16C/60F | 11C/51F | 81mm | 8 | 8 |
| December | 03C/37F | 13C/55F | 08C/46F | 45mm | 5 | 7 |
Costa Blanca
The sunny climate and all year round warm climate makes Costa Blanca one of the best cycling regions in the world!The Costa Blanca has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate and has special micro-climate all year round thanks to the mountains which surround the town. It enjoys some 3,400 hours of sunshine a year and an average annual temperature on the coast of 18°C (15°C in winter and 26°C in summer). The Costa Blanca has been described by the World Health Organisation as among the healthiest regions in the world.
Cycle ClassicTours trips ; Costa Blanca guided road bike – Costa Blanca self guided
| Costa Blanca | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| January | 05C/43F | 16C/59F | 11C/54F | 42mm | 4 | 6 |
| February | 06C/43F | 17C/61F | 12C/55F | 39mm | 4 | 7 |
| March | 08C/46F | 19C/64F | 15C/58F | 40mm | 4 | 7 |
| April | 10C/50C | 21C/66F | 17C/60F | 37mm | 4 | 9 |
| May | 13C/55F | 24C/73F | 20C/65F | 30mm | 3 | 10 |
| June | 17C/63F | 27C/81F | 25C/75F | 21mm | 2 | 11 |
| July | 20C/68F | 31C/85F | 27C/78F | 17mm | 1 | 12 |
| August | 21C/70F | 32C/86F | 29C/80F | 12mm | 1 | 11 |
| September | 18C/64F | 28C/82F | 25C/75F | 25mm | 4 | 9 |
| October | 14C/57F | 25C/75F | 21C/70F | 54mm | 4 | 7 |
| November | 09C/48F | 19C/64F | 16C/59F | 69mm | 6 | 6 |
| December | 07C/45F | 17C/61F | 12C/55F | 45mm | 5 | 6 |
Tenerife based on Playa de las Americas.
The sunny climate and all year round warm climate makes Tenerife one of the best cycling regions in the world. Though Tenerife has a climate that can’t be matched anywhere in the world! However the weather can change as quickly and dramatically as it does in the UK. The warmest weather is found on the south and west of the island, while the east is generally windier and the north wetter. What cannot be denied, however, is that Tenerife has the lowest temperature difference between summer and winter of anywhere in the world, with averages of around 15C in winter and 24C in summer!
Cycle ClassicTours trips ; Tenerife Road Cycling Trip – Tenerife Canary Islands Volcano Tour
| Tenerife | min | max | average | rainfall | wet days | sunhours |
| January | 15C/60F | 21C/70F | 15C/59F | 32mm | 4 | 8 |
| February | 15C/60F | 21C/70F | 16C/61F | 35mm | 4 | 9 |
| March | 16C/61F | 22C/72F | 17C/62F | 38mm | 4 | 10 |
| April | 17C/62C | 23C/73F | 17C/62F | 12mm | 4 | 11 |
| May | 18C/64F | 24C/75F | 18C/64F | 04mm | 3 | 11 |
| June | 20C/67F | 26C/79F | 20C/68F | 0.1mm | 2 | 11 |
| July | 21C/70F | 29C/84F | 21C/70F | 0.1mm | 0 | 12 |
| August | 22C/71F | 29C/84F | 23C/73F | 2mm | 1 | 11 |
| September | 22C/71F | 28C/82F | 22C/72F | 7mm | 2 | 10 |
| October | 20C/69F | 26C/79F | 21C/70F | 19mm | 5 | 10 |
| November | 18C/65F | 24C/75F | 19C/66F | 34mm | 7 | 9 |
| December | 17C/62F | 22C/72F | 16C/61F | 43mm | 7 | 8 |
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